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Underwater in the Two Oceans Aquarium

The Two Oceans Aquarium offers a glimpse of life in 2 different oceans. Cape Town straddles the division between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean and offers a unique underwater world filled with a diversity of aquatic life.

The water tank of the amazing I&J Predator Exhibit contains 2 million litres of water. It is the home to one of the aquarium’s biggest attractions: the sand tiger sharks. Walk all the way around the tank and even through a tunnel that cuts right through the exhibit. The sharks are fed every afternoon at 3:30 pm. In addition to the sharks, the tank is also home to other tropical predators, including shoals of garrick and yellowtail flounder.

 The Two Oceans Aquarium

Cape Town

Diving among the sharks

One of the aquarium’s unique features is the opportunity to scuba dive in 2 different tanks. Experienced divers may swim in the kelp forests of the Ocean Basket Kelp Forest Exhibit. More fearless swimmers may dive with the sharks in the I&J Predator Exhibit. Divers are not inside a cage but swim freely among the large predators. Fortunately, these sharks are on the list of `friendly shark species` so the dive is safe. In addition to courage, divers must also possess a valid scuba diving license.

Two completely different oceans

The Oceans of Contrast Exhibit is divided into 2 parts. The Atlantic Ocean Gallery showcases life in the cold Atlantic Ocean. Here you will encounter the very rare Knysna seahorse or come eye-to-eye with a giant spider crab. In the ‘touch pool’ visitors can feel the texture of anemones, starfish and kelp (a type of seaweed). The Indian Ocean Gallery focuses on life in the warmer Indian Ocean; this display is an explosion of colour, full of bright tropical fish.

Mysterious kelp forests

Kelp forests are a very common phenomenon in the oceans around Cape Town. Aquarium visitors may explore the unique ecosystem of these seaweed forests. The Ocean Basket Kelp Forest Exhibit is an underwater forest where metres high kelp plants flourish. The long stems create a mysterious environment and provide a safe haven for the hundreds of colourful fish that hide in this forest.
There is also the Sappi River Meander that follows the course of a river: from the source high up in the mountains all the way to the mouth where it flows into the ocean. Waves crash on the manmade beach near a colony of African penguins. The chicks that are born in the aquarium are often placed in the wild. Beautiful tropical plants grow along the river and gurgling waterfalls come cascading down. There is also a frog pond where you can learn more about these amphibians.